1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to apparatus for deep fat frying, and more particularly to a filter system for removing food particles therefrom and to control means for safely implementing the filter system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional deep fat frying systems include a fry pot for containing cooking oil and means for heating the oil to cook a portion of food. From time to time it is necessary to clean the fry pot to remove food particles which cling to the sides of the fry pot and to filter the cooking oil to remove food particles which are suspended within the cooking oil. The cooking oil, which is relatively expensive, must be kept clean in order to extend its useful life. The presence of old food particles in the cooking oil causes it to smoke, impairs the heat transfer efficiency of the oil, and imparts a disagreeable flavor to the food portions. In some operations, for example in the preparation of fried chicken which is heavily breaded, the cooking oil must be drained and filtered several times a day in order to remove bread crumbs, food particles and other solid wastes that accumulate during cooking.
According to conventional pratice, the fry pot may be cleaned manually by directing a stream of hot cooking oil through a hose which is held by an operator. Food particles flushed away by the hot cooking oil are drained into a drain pan which in some cases must be hand carried to a sink or a suitable reservoir and emptied. The operator must wear protective clothing such as gloves when handling the hose during the flushing operation.
Because the cooking oil may be extremely hot, for example 350.degree. Fahrenheit or higher, the operator and his co-workers are exposed to the risk of serious burn injury from the inadvertent or accidental splashing of hot cooking oil during the cleaning operation. Further, the fry pot may be damaged if the operator drains the cooking oil from the fry pot without turning off the heating system. In electrically heated fry pots, the application of power to the electrical heating elements in the absence of cooking oil will cause them unnecessary damage and may possibly cause a fire as the residual film of cooking oil on the heating elements ignites. In the case of gas heated fry pots, the heat transfer surfaces will likewise be overheated, causing warping damage or a fire.
In modern convenience restaurants which feature breaded foods such as fried chicken, fish, and potatotes, the fry pot must be drained several times a day in order to remove bread crumbs, food particles and other solid wastes that accumulate during cooking. Various means have been provided for raising and tilting the fry pot to pour used cooking fluid into an adjacent drain pan, which in some cases must be hand carried to a sink and emptied into a sump. In such an operation, the cooking cycle on adjacent fryers must sometimes be interrupted during the pouring step in order to avoid exposing the operator's co-workers to the risk of being burned by the accidental splashing of the cooking oil. The cost of the delay in operations is substantial for fast service convenience restaurants; however, it is essential that the cooking oil and fry pot be cleaned periodically for the reasons outlined above. Therefore, it is desirable to provide frying apparatus in which the fry pot and cooking oil may be cleaned safely without exposing the operator and his co-workers to the risk of burn injuries from the hot cooking oil and without interrupting frying operations in adjacent fry pots as the draining and filtering occurs.